Pedal mechanism.



J. T. AUSTIN. PEDAL MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED 313.25, 1914-v Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

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UNITED STATES PATENT UFFEQE.

JOHN T. AUSTIN, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOBJ T0 AUSTIN ORGAN COM- PANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

PEDAL MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12,1915.

Original application filed May 27, 1913, Serial No. 770,208. Divided and this application filed February 25,

1914. Serial No. 820,826.

To all 107mm it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN T. AUSTIN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford. in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pedal Illechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pedal mechanism.

While pedal mechanism involving my invention can be employed 'with advantage in many diiterent connections it is of particular utility when incorporated in or forming part of a pipe organ. 1

One of the primary objects of the invention is the provision of means of the charactorv noted which is simple in construction, easy in action and which can be effectively held in the various positions to which it is moved.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification I have shown in detail one of the several forms of embodiment of the invention, which to enable those skilled in. the art to practise the same will be set forth fully in the following description.

I donot restrict myself to this showing,

however; I may depart therefrom in several respects within the scope of the inven tion defined by the claims following said description.

Referring to said drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of pedal mechanism involving my invention, the pedal being shown in its initial position and the toe-panel of an organ, with which the pedal mechanism is connected, being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the pedal being shown in its extreme shifted position. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

7 Like characters refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

The present invention comprises a pedal provided with a projecting fin, .a member having a guide opening, the width of which. is greater than the thickness of the fin. and means engaging the tin to hold the. pedal in li'tlerent adjusted positions. By virtue of the construction pointed out the pedal will be properly maintained in its various adjusted relations notwithstanding the fact that it may have been subjected to a limited amount of lateral movement, thefin in effect floating between the walls of the opening or at leastbeing laterally n'n'n'able between said walls. whether constantly in contact with one of them or not. While the fin to which I ha e referred can be. of any suitable shape and connected with the pedal in any desirable manner. I prefer that it be flat and that it depend from the toe portion of the pedal as this I find is the best construction, although as will be inferred. I do not limit myself to this and like details. The means by which the pedal is held in its several adjusted positions may as will be obvious he of any convenient kind.

lVith the foregoing general observations I will now refer more in detail to what is represented in the annexed views.

The numeral 2 denotes what is known as the toepanel of an organ. In the present case it isslotted as at 3 for the passage of the pedal 4, the latter ordinarily being pivoted between its heel and toe portion upon a suitable member as for instance the web 5 which is pivoted as at (i in a notch 7 in the under side of. the pedal. This pedal as alrea lv noted can be employed for divers purposes: for instance it can through suitable coi perating means. which I will briefly describe. lie-utilized for actuating: shutter mechanism of a pipe rgan as set forth in my contem 'ioraneouslv pending application. Serial No. 770,206. filed May 27, 1W3 of which the present case is a division.

Mounted on the member are several resilient contact strips Saadapted to make spring contact with the short leg of the U- shaped circuit closer 9 connected with and depending from the pedal 4:.

On the member 5 which is generally made of wood is a guide element 1.0 for the circuit closer 9. When the pedal 4 is moved from its initial position shown in Fig. 1 to its shifted position illustrated in Fig. 2. the circuit closer 9 will successively engage the contacts 8 and thereby successively clo e branch circuits of which these contacts form a part. I have concisel v described the circu t controlling means in my aforesaid copending application. The pedal may be utilized in many other different wars.

Depending from the pedal i is the rojection 11 which eXl'ends freely through a guide opening 12 in the tree portion of the member 5 which in addition to cons ituting a convenient support for the pedal 4:

- a certain amount 01 also acts as a guide for said projection which is shown as consisting of a fiat fin. Owing to the described relation between said fin and openin 12, the fin may have lateral movement as it is moved down or up without causing injury or straining of the parts, although not effecting the proper action of brake mechanism operative in conjunction with the fin. The fin is provided at its lower extremity with the plates 13 constituting suitable projections and which are provided with pads 14; at their upper edges. The upper portion of the supporting member 5 at its free end is l pads may be of any suitable material, for instance felt, to cushion the pedal when it reaches the ends of its respective movements.

As I have already stated the brake mechanism acting against the fin may be of any desirable nature, although that shown and now to be described has been found quite satis fa ctory. The supporting member 5 has registering openings 16 which intersect the slot or opening 12 and which receive for sliding movement the duplicate blocks 17. Although these blocks and their openings are shown as being cylindrical, this is not essential. Between the two slidable blocks 17 and the fin or blade 11 are interposed the pads 18 of felt or some suitable material. and although the presence of the same is of advantage, it is not necessary that they be always utilized. The two blocks 17 are in the present case constantly forced toward each other with preferably equal pressures, and any suitable means may be provided therefor, the spring 19 being shown for such purpose. Said spring is shown as being. of C-form, and as straddling the free portion of the supporting member, its

provided with similar pads which sevpointed inturned terminals fitting shallow sockets 20 in the outer faces of the two brake locks 17. This provides a simple means i for yieldingly and frictionally engaging the members carrying said pads, and a bowed spring acting against said members to yieldingly force said pads against said projection. v

2. A pedal provided with a projection, a

' fixed member through which the projection extends, devices acting against opposite faces of the projection, and means for yieldingly moving said devices toward each other.

3. A pedal provided with a projection, a member through which said projection extends, slidable devices constituting braking means and active against said projection, and means for yieldingly forcing said de vices toward each other.

4. A pedal provided with a projection, a member having an opening through which said projection extends, said member having holes intersecting said opening, devices slidable in said holes and active against the projection, and means for yieldingly forcingsaid devices toward each other.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN T. AUSTIN.

Witnesses:

EDWIN M. WILEY, H. A. WALKER. 

